In a busy city like New York, it's easy to walk past a homeless person without sparing even a glance. For most people, their daily interaction with the city's homeless population is limited to offering some change or possibly some leftovers.

But one man is trying to change this attitude with one free haircut at a time. For the past few months, New York City hairstylist Mark Bustos — who normally spends his days working at an upscale salon — has been volunteering on his days off to offer haircuts to homeless people he sees on the street. With a simple phrase, "I want to do something nice for you today," he has been helping people get a fresh, uplifting makeover.

For people who have been trapped in a cycle of poverty, unemployment and homelessness, the makeover can also serve a useful function: looking presentable for a job.

Bustos told the Huffington Postthat one particular example stuck out in his mind: "After offering him a haircut and whatever food he wanted to eat, he didn't have much to say throughout the whole process, until after I showed him what he looked like when I was done ... The first thing he said to me was, 'Do you know anyone that's hiring?'"

And even for those who are not inspired to get a job, just the idea of being offered a choice can make a difference. "One response we've gotten is, 'Nobody ever asks me what I actually want. I usually just get leftovers and scraps,'" Bustos said.